Dental apparatus



March 3, 1942. H, FREEDMAN DENTAL APPARATUS 'Filed June 8, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l [N VEN TOR. #YM/9N -REEDMg/V BY M TTORNEKSl fr@ 5 f 7 m A 2 I 3 2 .T 3 3 d March 3, 1942. H. FREEDMAN 2,274,893

' DENTAL APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 A IN VEN TOR. M/M/PN FPsA-oM/Q/V A T-TOR EYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STAT-ES vPATENT OFFICE DENTAL APPARATUS Hyman Freedman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June 8, 1937, Serial No'. 147,013 4 claims. E (c1. 32-33) This invention relates to improvements in -dental apparatus and has for one of its objects to provide an improved apparatus of simple and practical construction wherein a saliva ejector has associated therewith a means for feeding a fluid in the form of a spray into the oral cavity while the ejector is in operation so as to reduce the temperature of the teeth being worked upon to approximately the temperature of the mouth, and to also cleanse the latter by means of said fluid as the same, together with any accumulation resulting from the dental work being performed, is extracted by the ejector, thereby enabling the dentist to work more rapidly and effectively by rendering it unnecessary for him to handle the fluid syringe as is customarily done in present practice.

A further object is to provide an effective mounting of improved construction on the saliva ejector for a source of illumination which will illuminate the mouth and thus enable the dentist to accomplish his work with better facility.V

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. 1

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectiona view through the heating chambers for the fluids,

Figure 3 is a similar view of a valve for controlling the selective feed of the fluids.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, through a valve utilized to control the drainage of uids from the hose connection between the heating apparatus and the saliva ejector.

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of the saliva ejector and its mounting.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a similar View of the ejector on the line 'I-1 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of the ejector showing the means for supporting a source of illumination such as a small incandescent lamp on the ejector tube.

Figure 9 is a transverse section on the line 9--9 of Figure 5, and

Figure 10` is a fragmentary side elevation of the retaining and supporting means therefor by which the ejector is held in operative position in the mouth.

Referring more particularly to Figure l of the drawings, the `apparatus is shown in its preferred form as comprising the ejector, generally indicated by the numeral I I, which may embody certain novel and characteristic features disclosed inA my U. S. Patent No. 2,161,151, dated June 6, 1939. A suction is created in said ejector for the removal of saliva from the oral cavity by a means similar to that disclosed in said patent, and which includes a water supply pipe I2 having a valved connection I3 in which is located a restricted nozzle I4 which projects a stream of water past the adjacent end of a hose connection I5 in order to create a suction therein. The other end of said hose is joined to the ejector Il .as shown in Figure 5 by means of a mounting which will later be described in detail. The invention also comprises a iieXible hose connection I6 extending between the ejector II and a heating apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral I'I, by means of which either heated water or compressed air raised to the approximate temperature of the mouth may be transmitted through the connection I6 to the ejector for injection into the mouth while the ejector is in operative position, thereby to afford a means for reducing to body temperature the tooth or teeth 4being operated upon, and for cleansing the oral cavity, with the ejector acting to continually remove the injected fluid so that said cavity will be kept free of all accumulation while work is being done on the teeth.

The apparatus I'I comprises a water supply tank I8 upon the top of which is mounted the outer and inner housings I9l and 20 which form chambers 2l and 22, respectively. A water supply pipe 23 leads upwardly from the tank I8 into the chamber 22 and located within said chamber is an electrical heating unit conventionally shown at 24 which may be of any standard construction and which is utilized to heat the water in the chamber 22 to the desired temperature. An outlet pipe 25 for the water leads to a valve casing 26 and has a hand controlled Valve 21 therein which may be used to completely shut off the feed of-water to the Valve casing 26 when the apparatus is not in use. The chamber 2 I formed by the housings I9 and 20, and in which are disposed the baffle plates 28 on the housing 20, is adapted to receive compressed air fed into said chamber through a pipe 29 which is conthe ejector showing a slightly modified form .of nected to a suitable source of supply (not shown), The air entering the chamber 2| is heated in its passage therethrough by its contact with the .baiile plates 28 and then exits from the chamber 2l into the outlet pipe 30 also connected to the valve casing 26, said pipe 30 having a valve 3| therein similar to the valve 21.

As shown in Figure 3, the casing 26 is provided with a depending nipple 32 on which is mounted one end of the hose connection I 6 and said casing is further provided with three ports 33, 34 and 35. Mounted for oscillatory movement in the casing 26 is a valve 36 having the angular passage 31 therein, the extremities of which are adapted to be variously adjusted into registration with the ports 33, 34 and 35 to selectively feed either air or, water from the heating apparatus to the hose I6. As illustrated in'Figure 3, the valve 36 is in position to permit of the ow of air from the passage 38 to which the pipe 30 is connected through the port 33, into the passage 31 and outwardly through the port 34 into `the ho'se I6, the port 35 then being closed by the valve. Should a water supply be desired, the valve 36 is adjusted so that its two extremities are registered with the ports 34 and 35, Whereupon the water will flow through the valve into the hose from the passage 39 to which the pipe 25 is connected. When neither air nor Water is desired, said valve 36 may be adjusted so that the extremities of the passage 31 will not align with any of the ports and be closed by the valve cas` ing 26. To accomplish the various adjustments of the valve 36 the same has connected to an end thereof projecting from the valve casing, one end of an operating lever 46 the other end of which is provided with a handle 4I guided by a plate 42 secured to the tank I8 and which may have suitable indicia thereon to indicate the dil-ferent pol sitions to which the lever 401 may be adjusted.

In operation, the two hose connections I and I6 are suspended substantially in the manner shown in Figure 1 by means of a clip 43 which may be attached to an arm of the dental chair 44, a portion of the lengths of both of said connections being enclosed in a sheath 45. At or adjacent the lowermost point of the hose I6 the same is divided, as shown in Figure 4, to receive the ends of a T-coupling 416 to the arm 41 on which is connected a drainage pipe 48. In said arm there is provided a valve seat 49 upon which is mounted a flap valve 56 of very light resilient material which is normally bowed so that the port of the valve seat 49 is in communication with the hose I6. However, when either water or air is passing through the hose the ejector II the pressure of said fluid is sufficient to force the valve 56 against its seat and thereby shut oif communication to the drain 48. When the flow of said fluid is stopped the valve 56 will open and thus permit the fluid, and particularly the water, in the hose I6 to drain therefrom so that no accumulation of fluid will be held in the hose when the apparatus is not being used. In this manner no water is permitted to remain in the hose I6 and cool off therein so that when the ejector is again placed in oper- I6 toI ation the initial injection of fluid into the oral Referring now to Figure 5 the ejector II is shown as comprising the discharge tube 5 I, preferably made of glass, bent intermediate its ends as at 52 with the part of the tube from said bent portion to the adjacent extremity constituting a downwardly directed mouth piece 53 which is constructed in accordance with the disclosure in the above identified patent application. On the tube 5I there is moulded, or otherwise mounted, an injector tube 54 one end of which terminates in a laterally and upwardly extending nozzle 55 arranged relative to the mouthpiece 53 in such position that when the ejector is in the mouth the nozzle will be effective to direct a fluid into the upper portion of the oral cavity in order that the temperature of the teeth may be reduced and said cavity kept clear of any accumulation therein as the mouthpiece of the ejector operates to draw off such accumulation by the suction created in the tube 5I which conveys the discharge through the hose I5 to the outlet connection I3. The injected fluid is maintained at such temperature that it will tend to prevent an increase in the temperature of a tooth being worked upon as the uid comes in contact with said tooth.

The end of the discharge tube II remote from the mouthpiece is removably supported for turning movement in a bearing 56 fitted into the adjacent end of the connection I5, and the end of the tube 54 remote from thev nozzle 55 is bent or offset as indicated at 51 for insertion into a similarly offset end of a connection 58 extending to the hose connection I6. Said oifset portions of the tube 54 and connection 58 are provided to compensate for any slight turning movement of the ejector tube 5I, when adjusting the same for proper operation. The end of the connection I5 in which the ejector tube is mounted and the connection 58 are held together by the sheath 45 which encircles said elements.

Associated with the ejector tube 5I and preferably supported on the underside thereof adjacent the elbow 52, as shown in Figure 5, is a source of illumination in the form of a small incandescent lamp 59. This lamp is held in position on the tube by means of an adjustable collar 60 having a iiexible retaining flap 6I which is adapted to combine with the tube 5I to form a socket so as to hold the lamp in position against the tube said flap being provided with an aperture 62 through which the rays from the lamp may emanate. In order to supply current to said lamp the tube 5I is provided for a major portion of its length, and at least to the point Where the lamp 59 is disposed, with a pair of parallel grooves 63 the surfaces of which are ground and roughened for adherence thereto of 'spaced layers 64 of conducting material adapted to be engaged by the terminals 65 of the lamp 59 and insulated from each other by the material of the ejector tube itself. A suitable electrical conducting material for use in the grooves of the ejector which will not be removed by the boiling of the instrument when sterilizing the same, may be produced by a deposit of metallic silver obtained from a solution of silver nitrate by means of some reducing or precipitating agent, well known in the art of backing mirrors. Also, the use of this conducting material eliminates the employment of insulated wires which are incapable of being repeatedly boiled when the device is being sterilized. At the ends of the grooves 63 remote from the lamp two contact rings 66 embrace the tube, with one of the rings having electrical contact with the conductor 64 in one groove and the .with the conductor 64 in the other groove.

other contact ring having similar engagement Two light spring contacts G1, with respect to which the rings 66 are rotatable, are mounted in the adjacent end of the connection l and engage the rings B, and a conductor 68 is joined to such spring contacts 6T and extended through the sheath 45 to a suitable source of current supply whereby the lamp 59 may be illuminated Whenever desired.

In Figure 5, there is shown a retaining and supporting member 9 extending laterally from a spring clip Il! removably mounted on the tube 5| for sliding adjustment thereon. In use, this retaining member is adapted to be forced upwardly against the chin of the patient after the ejector tube has been placed in the mouth so as to effectively retain the ejector in its adjusted position and thereby prevent any undue shifting thereof.

In the form shown in Figure 10 a retaining and supporting member 7l, also secured to a spring clip 12 slidable on the tube 5I, is in the form of a curved arm or hook Which is adapted to be engaged With the underlip of the patient when the ejector is in its operative position.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the present apparatus provides, in eiect, a single oral unit by which spraying of the mouth and removal of uids therefrom may be accomplished, as distinguished from the multiple units customarily employed by dentists; and that by reason of the fluid injector and ejector being in a single unit which may be readily detached from its mounting, the same may be easily sterilized after each use.

What is claimed is: 1. In a saliva ejector, a discharge tube having a mouthpiece at one end, electrical conducting material extending along said tube, a source of illumination carried by said mouthpiece and having means to establish contact with said conducting material, a mounting for said tube in which the latter is rotatable, a pair of contact rings on said tube having electrical engagement with said conducting material, and a pair of conductors supported by said mounting and engageable with said contact rings.

2. In a saliva ejector, a discharge tube having a mouthpiece at one end and a pair of grooves extending for a portion of the length thereof, electrical conducting material in said grooves, a

collar on said tube having an apertured retaining member thereon and combining with said tube to form a socket, and a source of illumination removably disposed in said socket and having y means to establish contact with said conducting material.

3. In a saliva ejector, a discharge tube having a mouthpiece at one end, electrical conducting material extending along said tube, a source of illumination carried by said mouthpiece and having means to establish contact With said conducting material, a mounting in which said tube is rotatable, a pair of conductors supported by said mounting, and a pair of contact elements rotatable With said tube and relative to said conductors and connected electrically with said conducting material, said contact elements contin. uously engaging said pair of conductors in anyposition of vrotation of said tube relative to said mounting.

4. In a saliva ejector, a discharge tube having a mouthpiece at one end, an incandescent lamp carried by said mouthpiece, a mounting in which said tube is rotatable, electrical conductors supported by said mounting, contact elements forming a part of and rotatable with said tube and engaging said conductors in various positions of rotation of said tube relative to said mounting, and means to supply current from said contact elements to said lamp.

I-IYMAN FREEDMAN. 

